WW2 ARMOR/ARTILLERY

Our WW2 Era Armor:

M4A1 Sherman Grizzly – “GOLEM”

GOLEM is a fully authentic Sherman Grizzly. She is a “Grizzly” because she is one of the rare Canadian built tanks – #166 of 188! We have evidence showing she actually served in combat from D-Day +5/10 all the way to V-E-Day in Germany! She has the battle scars to prove it too! Driven by a 9-cylinder radial gas engine and complimented by a 75mm main gun and three .30 M1919 Browning air cooled machine guns, the Sherman would become the most widely used tank by the Allies. The Sherman was one of the first tanks to feature a gyroscopic stabilized gun and sight, allowing for easier target tracking while on the move.Wikipedia Link

Authentic M18 Hellcat – “BUPKES”

BUPKES is a fully authentic M18 Hellcat tank destroyer. Despite being armed with an only partially effective 76 mm cannon it had the highest kill to loss ratio of any American vehicle. Turning weakness into strength, the relatively thin armor and open turret didn’t weigh the Hellcat down so it was able to easily maneuver and outflank German armor. Using a 9-cylinder, radial piston gasoline engine the Hellcat could top out at a blazing 55 m.p.h. It was the fastest tank or tank destroyer until the introduction of the US M1 Abrams.Wikipedia Link

Authentic M18 Hellcat – “BRACHA”

BRACHA is another fully authentic M18 Hellcat tank destroyer. The M18 Hellcat was designed to scoot and shoot, providing anti-tank capability to protect Allied armor and doughs from enemy armor. It sacrificed armor for increased firepower and epic mobility. The M18 Hellcat was the most expensive of the American tank destroyers, costing roughly US $55,000.00 – more than both the M10 Wolverine GMC and the M36 Jackson GMC. The M18 Hellcat has the 76mm gun M1 caliber L/55, firing the 76.2mmx585R round. The 76mm gun M1 provided superior armor-piercing capability but with less high-explosive capability than the M4 Sherman tank variants with the 75mm gun M3 caliber L/40. Both of our Hellcats have the M1A2 version of the 76mm gun M1.Wikipedia Link

Authentic M36 Jackson – “BALAGAN”

BALAGAN is a fully authentic M36 Jackson Gun Motor Carriage tank destroyer. The M36 Jackson Gun Motor Carriage tank destroyer: A powerful beast with the tank-stopping 90mm gun M3. Capable of penetrating 221mm of armor at 500m when firing the T30E16 HVAP (High Velocity, Armor Piercing) ammunition, it was the TD all the US armored divisions and tank destroyer battalions sought. When it arrived, it changed the game.Wikipedia Link

M5A1 Stuart – “BUDDY”

BUDDY is a unique Stuart! The prior owner and builder built her on a High Speed Tractor (basically the same thing as a Stuart without a turret) and then built the turret to exacting specifications using authentic blueprints, they even cast a mantlet! She looks the part, but thanks to modern running gear (Cummins diesel and Allison transmission) she is FAST and can REALLY pull some weight! When GOLEM was being delivered, the semi hauling her got stuck, and Buddy pulled all 110,000 lbs of tank, tractor and trailer free! She’s a brute!Wikipedia Link

M7B1 Howitzer Motor Carriage (HMC) Priest – “KOHEN”

KOHEN is a fully authentic M7 Howitzer Motor Carriage. The 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage (HMC) M7, named the “Priest” by the British, was a US self-propelled artillery platform. It was produced from APR 1942 through 1945, and accompanied armored divisions such as the US 2nd Armored Division, providing artillery support on a platform that could keep pace with the armor. The M7 Priest had the 105mm M2A1/L22 howitzer, as well as a Ma Deuce (M2HB) .50 machine gun. The 105mm howitzer was a powerful indirect fire weapon, though it could be used for direct fire if required. At times the Priest batteries found themselves confronted directly, and did in fact direct fire at the approaching enemy. The 105mm could deliver punishment from as far as 12,205 yards. The Priest carried at least 69 rounds of 105mm ammo. With the addition of an ammunition trailer, the crews would carry a great deal more ammunition.Wikipedia Link

M4A3(105) HVSS Sherman – “FRED”

FRED is a fully authentic US WWII M4A3(105) HVSS Sherman tank. FRED sports the 105mm howitzer M4 (caliber 22.5) and the Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension with the accompanying wide track. It is powered by the 500HP Ford GAA V8 gasoline engine. The M4 models with the 105mm howitzer M4 – M4(105), M4(105) HVSS, M4A3(105), M4A3(105) HVSS – were extremely popular with the tankers and troops. One of the only consistent requests from the tank units was for additional 105mm howitzer Shermans. It did have anti-armor capabilities with the M67 HEAT (High Explosive, Anti-Tank) round, and did take out enemy armor. It was primarily an infantry support platform, firing a devastatingly effective HE (High Explosive) round at enemy doughs, emplacements, buildings, and the like. It could lay shrapnel over an area roughly 15 yards deep and 50 yards wide, with a radius of large fragments of 300 yards.Wikipedia Link

155mm Gun M1 – “KELEV GADOL”

KELEV GADOL is a fully authentic 155mm Gun M1 “Long Tom”. The Long Tom was the result of several design and prototype efforts, culminating in the 155mm gun M1 being accepted by the US Army in 1938. The round is separate from the powder, with the round loaded first, followed by a number of bags of powder as required to achieve the desired range. The gun is fired when a firing pin strikes the primer, which ignites the powder bag(s) and delivers the mail downrange. The Long Tom has a firing rate of 40 rounds per hour, and a maximum firing range of 14.7 miles. It has a muzzle velocity of 2,799 feet per second. The rounds used in WWII included the AP M112 APBC/HE with a range of 24,075 yards, the HE M101 with a range of 25,714 yards, and the WP M104 smoke (white phosphorous) with a range of 25,940 yards. It could penetrate 160mm of armor at 30 degrees at 500 yards, 152mm at 1,000 yards. It could penetrate 2,011mm of concrete at 914m and 1,402mm of concrete at 4,572m.Wikipedia Link

Replica Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf.E – “TONY”

TONY is a replica WWII German Tiger I (Panzer VI) tank based on a WWII Soviet T-34-85 tank. This is the tank from the movie “Saving Private Ryan” and the HBO series “Band of Brothers.” We believe this T-35-85 was manufactured in either 1943 or 1944, as it has some indicators of construction in either year. It had the original wood – yes, wood! – between the fuel tanks and the bulkhead to act as a buffer. It also had post-WWII Communist Poland unit marks on the turret. The old engine, a Detroit diesel 8V71 aka a 318, is solid but underpowered. We pulled this engine and the combination differential+transmission as part of our cleanup and restoration. The new engine will be a Detroit diesel 8V92T. This will provide a great deal more torque and thus move TONY around the field of battle more nimbly.Wikipedia Link

Replica Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf.N – “No Name Yet!”

Coming soon is our replica WWII German Panzer III tank based on the British FV432 APC. We will fabricate a new, live main gun for it, likely emulating the 7.5cm (75mm) KwK 37 L/24, from which we will fire black powder rounds.Wikipedia Link